Cleaning and washing device



May 27, 1930.

M. s. CARMICHAEL CLEANING AND WASHING DEVICE Filed March 24,

1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 QM \w w 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v R w May 27, 1930. M. s. CARMICHAEL CLEANING AND WASHING DEV ICE Filed March 24, 1928 7, 1930. M. s. CARMIC'HAEL 1,760,041 7 CLEANING AND WASHING DEVICE Filed March 24, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Zaa'zinaj May 27, 1930.

M. S. CARMICHAEL CLEANING-AND WASHING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 24, 1928 l m I m r u I I I I I l I I u .l

Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEAD S. CARMIGHAEL, OF SPARTA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT-VINER COMPANY,

OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO CLEANING AND WASHING DEVICE Application filed March 24, 1928. Serial No. 264,485.

This invention relates to blanching devices and more particularly to article cleaning means, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes. I

' It contemplates more especially the provision of means for effectively removing foreign substances from edible articles without entailing much labor or the subjection thereof to injury.

Numerous devices have heretofore been proposed for cleaning articles by submersion in a water bath; however, these have not proven entirely satisfactory owing to their inefficiency and injurious effect thereon.

Further, these devices are not entirely dependable, since the results attained therefrom are not uniform nor in any way dependable, thereby necessitating keen inspection and reprocessing for the purpose of satisfactorily completing the blanching thereof. With the tremendous growth of the canning industry and the increased consumption of canned articles including peas and the like, known cleaning methods have retarded the processing thereof and materially increased the cost of the produce to the consumer.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the tioned.

Another object is to provide means for blanching or removing foreign substances from articles without entailing much labor.

Another object is the provision of a continuous process of economically blanching articles with uniform and improved results.

Still another object is the provision of means for effecting the passage of articles in association with water for the purpose of removing the foreign substances therefrom without injury thereto. I I V A further object is the provision of means for withdrawing the foreign substances from the water used to cleanse articles.

Still a further object is to provide means for'directing articles along a predetermined path in the presence of water for effecting the removal of foreign substances therefrom operation of devices of the character menwithout interfering with the continued processing thereof.

A still further object is the provision of means for directing articles along a tortuous path in association with a water carrying medium which serves to remove the foreign substances therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in elevation of a device embodying features of the present invention, parts thereof being broken away to clarify the showing.

Figure 2 is a sectional view in elevation of means for withdrawing the foreign substances from the water prior to the removal of the articles therefrom.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the trough in the vicinity of the section disclosed in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along line VV of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along VIVI of Figure 2. K

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VIIVII of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VIIIVIII of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view in elevation of a modified embodiment of the present invention showing several impurity withdrawing means in the path of the articles, parts thereof beingbroken awayto clarify the showing.

Figure 10 is a sectional side view in .ele-. vation of an adjustable water agitating means employed in connection with the' device disclosed in Figure 9. v r

Figure 11 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XIIXI of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a sectional View taken substantially along line XIIXII of Figure 9.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially along line XIII-XIII of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken substantially along line.XIV-XIV of Figure 12.

The structure selected for illustration coinprises means for confining articles to enable the selective discharge thereof along a predetermined path, these consisting in this instance of a plurality of hoppers 10 which have individual discharge spouts 11 through which the articles are passed at varying rates depending upon the adjustment-of slidable discharge valve 12 associated therewith. Ar-

ticles requiringcleansing, in this instance along until discharged after subjection toblanching, washingand cleansing. To this end, the trough 13 issupported in the desired position by means of rods 14 secured thereto for suspension from the ceiling orother superstructureusually constituting apart of a building. The troughs 13 are arranged so that parts thereof are'incli'ned in opposite directions forming a continuous zig zag path, the parts thereofbeing disposed in superposed relation to minimize the otherwise extensive floor area. required therefor. Standards 15 which abut against the floor are also resorted to in maintaining the troughs 13 at a suitable elevation-without the possibility of vibration-which would "cause leakage of thecleaning fluid or other undesirable effects. Aspout 16 isprovided at the highest point of the trough 13 in communication therewith to receive water therethrough for the purpose of" constituting a washing and carrying medium for the peas which are continuously discharged fromthe hopper or hoppers 10 within thetrough 13.

The water is supplied to a conduit 17 which leads to any suitable supply source, in this instance a pump '18, which furnishes the necessary Water to the troughs 13 to maintain the articles, in this instance ,peas, submerged during their passage therethrough. In order to impart a twirling movement to the articles as well as its carrying and washing medium, plates 19 are associated with the lateral walls of the trough 13 in staggered relation with the faces thereof which are slightly inclined so as to cause the articles with the carrier medium, in this instance Water, to follow a tortuous path as designated by the arrows (a) in Figure 4. As a consequence, the articles such as peas, ,will be directed against the walls of the trough 13 and the obstructions 19 therein so as totwirl in the move-,

ment therealong to effectively remove theshown, the plates 19 terminate in spaced rela- 2 tion with the bottom of the trough 13 so as to enable the free flow of the articles traversing over and near the bottom thereof. Further, the twirling movement of the water caused by the bafHe plates--19-tend to elevate the foreigmsubstances heldin suspension by the water, thereby insuring. the comingling of the articles. withclean water during the passage thereof within the trough.

It is necessary or at least highly desirable to continuously withdraw the foreign substances from the water near the terminus of its flow, thereby effecting the segregation of the articles from the foreign substances and also enabling the repeated use of-the water. To this end, the discharge terminal of thetrough 13 communicates with r a. chamber 20 which has the bottom 21 thereof disposed at a greater inclination than that of the trough 13, thereby causing the articles with the water to pass with increased acceleration commencing with the inlet orifice 22' defined by the joinder of the chamber 20 with the terminal end of the trough 13. Asshown, the chamber-'20 is provided with a passage 23 which is highly restricted owing to the. top wal1'24 thereof which approaches the bottom 21 at the entrance to the chamber30. The slight retardation occasioned by this restriction will tend to create a Water head in thetrough 1 3which is desirable in so far as it I insures theconstant submersionof the articles during their passage therethrough;

The chamber 20 is supported by standards 25 which have a series of'apertures 26 provided therein near the top. thereof to enable the adjustment thereof atany suitable elevation capable of variation to. control the velocityoffiow. It is to. be noted that any suitable fasteners may be employed to associate the chamber 20 with a selective aperture--26so as to render the ready association and disassociation thereof forthe. purpose specified. Apair of spaced rails 27 are fixed ly disposed in a horizontal plane within the tank 20 longitudinally thereof to maintain a series of bafile plates 28 in. spaced suspend ed position. As shown, the bafile plates 28 dimi-nishe inv length to terminate at a uniform distance above the bottom 21 ofvthe tank 20. Plates 29 are angularly disposed in parallelism with the bottom 21 of the tank 20 for secural to the bottom of the baffles 28 to cause the 'water flowing thereunder to pass between the plates 29 and the face of the next succeeding baffle 28; Itis to be noted that the water will tend to pass through the spaces 3O defined'by the plates 29 and the succeeding bafi'les28 so as to effect the twirling and agitation thereof. Consequently, the foreign substance held in suspension by the-water will be elevated to the Water surface 31 Within the tank 20 so as to enable the withdrawal thereof:

This is accomplished in the present em} bodiment by providing an endless chain 32 which has uniformly spaced apertures 33 therein to mesh with correspondingly spaced teeth 34 provided on sprocket wheels 35 which are journalled on shafts 36 fixed to the standards 25. Blades 37, in this instance 3, are secured at uniform spaced points to the carrier chain 32 for periodic projection within the water beyond the surface 31 thereof so as to skim therethrough above the rails 27. In fact, the blades 37 traverse over the rails 27 to remove the foreign substances from the water by conveying the entire top layer thereof to a vat 38 positioned at the terminal end of the tank 20. -As shown, the vat 38 is provided with inclined sides 39 which converge at 40 to communicate with a discharge conduit'41for. conveying the contents to any suitable destination for dis posal.

The vat 38 is cleansed to insure the discharge of all of the foreign substances therefrom to the conduit 41 by means of a header 42 which is disposed transversely thereof near the top of the vat 38 to discharge water through apertures 43 provided in the bottom of the pipe 42. In order to distribute the water flowing from the header 42 for application on all of the surfaces of the vat 38, nozzles 44 are disposed within the apertures 43 for suspension by means of shanks 45 associated therewith .for secural to the header 42 by nuts 46 of standard construction which engage a threaded extremity 47 of the shank 45 in the usual manner. It is to be noted that the nozzles 44 are slightly smaller in diameter and conformed with the shape of the aperture 43 so as to disseminate the water in the form of a spray to remove all substances from the interior surfaces of the vat 38. The articles usually remain near the bottom of the troughs and continue in that plane of movement within the tank 20 so that the foreign substances will be segregated therefrom owing to the elevation thereof caused by the baffles 28. r

The articles are then conveyed through a passage 50 which is inclined in a direction opposite the bottom of the tank 20, thereby causing the water to back up to create a head in the-tank 20 as well as in the troughs 13 which are in communication therewith.

As shown, the passage 50 has diverging sides 51 which terminate in a tank 52 to effect the introduction of the articles. therein. The tank 52 may be provided with foraminous container therein to receive the articles from the passage 50 so as to effect the removal of whatever water is carried therewith. Any suitable means may be employed to spray water over the articles contained in the chamber 52 so as to serve as a final rinse therefor so that the articles may be prepared for canning or other disposition as commercial practice maydictate. A pipe 53 communicated with the bottom of the tank 52 for connection with the low side of the pump 18 to effect the repeated use of the water.

In a modified embodiment of the present invention the articles are conveyed through a predetermined path having several foreign substance withdrawing means therein (Figure19). The hoppers 10, supply articles for discharge through orifices 11 which are controlled by discharge valve 12 in the manner described hereinabove. 'The troughs 13 are arranged in substantially the same formation to define a zigzag course in superposed relation to minimize the space necessary for the occupancy for such a device. In this instance, the communicating troughs 13' are supported by standards 14 which maintain them at suitable elevations from the floor. The inclination of the troughs 13' are variable owing to a series of apertures 15 which are provided in the standards 14 in the vicinity of the points of attachment. Fasteners consisting in this instance of carriage bolts 54 are suspended between the confronting standards 14 to carry the troughs 13 thereon. It is to be notedthat the carriage bolts 54 are capable of projection through the standards 14 owing to the nuts 55 which are detachably secured to the carriage bolts 54 in the usual manner to enable the association and disassociation for the purpose of varying the inclination of the trough 13to control the velocity of travel therethrough.

A spout 16 is associated with the trough 13 at the highest point thereof to receive the discharge end of the water supply conduit 17 which communicates with a suitable pump 18. A tank 20 having the bottom thereof disposed at a greater inclination than the trough 13 is interposed intermediate the terminal ends'thereof in a manner described in connection with a similar association of impurity withdrawing instrumentalities with the terminal end of the trough 13 in the above described embodiment. In this instance, however, the discharge passage 50 leads to the continuing trough 13 for further passage of the articles in association with a cleansing carrier such as water. This is highly advantageous owing to the fact that an immense amount of impurities or foreign substances may be present in the water at an intermediate point of flow, and as a consequence the furthest carrier of the articles thereby would not avail any useful purpose.

The articles are then conveyed to the continuing trough 13 subsequent to the passage of the article through the impurity withdrawing tank 20 to subject the articles to further cleansing. The terminal end of the trough 13 is provided with an impurity extractor constituting a tank 55 having the bottom 56 thereof inclined at a steeper angle than the trough 13". A pair of spaced rails 27 are spaced relation with the bottom 56 of'the tank 55 so as to permit the free passage of the water in proximity to the base thereof. Each of the plates 28 has a normally disposed blade 29 secured to the extremity thereof for disposition in aplane parallel to the bottom 56 of the tank 55, thereby serving to define passages 30 therebetween to admit the upward flow of water therethrough to produce turbulency.

This agitating effect causes the impurities 'in the water to rise in proximity to the level 31 of the water confinedin the tank 55. An endless chain 32 is in'meshing engagement with sprockets 35 which are journalled on shafts 36 fixed to the spaced standards 14 I v to effect the traverse of the chain 32 in a plane horizontal'to the surface of the water 31 confined within the tank 55. Blades 37, in this instance three, are secured tothe surface of the belt 32 to project normally thereof so as to be submerged in the water 31 to skim the upper layer thereof which contains the foreign substances previously elevated owing to the turbulency of the water created by the bafiles 28. The foreign substances which are skimmed from the upper surface of the water 31 are then discharged into a suitable vat in much the same manner as described supra in connection with the previous embodiment.

The tank communicates with a passage 57 which is inclined oppositely to the bottom 56 thereof at a-somewhat increased angularity soas to create a water head in the communicating troughs 1313. The articles will be conveyed'in association with its water carrier through the passage 57 for discharge onto aforaminous member such as a grid 58 which is inclined oppositely of the passage 57 so as to discharge the articles by efiecting 5 ofithe water therethrough for reception within a passage 63 which communicates with a tank 64 disposed therebeneath.

The articles passing over the grid '58 are rinsed b means of sprays directed thereagainst rom a pluralityof headers 65 which are in superposed relation with reference to the grid 58. The headers 65 are in communication with a water feeder pipe 66 which conducts water from any suitable source of supply. The headers 65 are supplied with a plurality of apertures 67 along the length thereof to discharge sprays of water 68' therethrough forsprinkling the articles as they are carried. by the rods 61 to the conveyor belt 59, thereby serving to sprinkle'the articles to remove any silt formations thereon which may be deposited thereon by the water contained in the troughs 1313'..

As shown,the'water conducted through the grid 58=by the sprays--68 as well asthe water passing thereon together withthe articles, are received in the tank 64 which is provided with a series of spaced screens 69 of varying mesh to preclude the entrance of any foreign substances within the last com partment 70. A conduit 71 communicates with the low side of'the .pump'71, and the 1 extremity thereof is immersed in' the compartment 70 to effect the repeated use of the water travelin-g'through the system. It will thus be apparent that the water loss occasioned by the withdrawa'lof the foreign substances from the extractors is compensated by the sprinkler water 68 which serves to.

the baflie plates 28 together withtheir angular extension 29' should be capable of adjustment to impart the desired turbulency to the water in the impurity extractor. end it has been found desirable to render the bafiie extension 29 adjustable by providing a pivotal joint consisting of a hinge 7 2 having the cooperating parts thereof associated with both the bafHe 28 andthe adjacent edge of the extension blades 29; A pin 7 3 projects through the hinge 72 to enable the pivotal movement of the plates 29 with reference to their respective baflle 28. A lug 74 is formed integral or otherwise with the extension 29 to receive arod 75 therethrough at one end thereof. The other extremity 76 V i of the rod 75 engages an aperture provided in a crank arm 77 which is secured to a shaft 78 projectingthrough the extractor tank 55" (Figure 10) to enable the pivotal adjustment of the extension plates 29. 'The extension plates 29' aremaintained in adjustable position by means of set screws 7 9 which project through the hubs 80 of the crank arms 77 to'engage the shaft 78, thereby maintaining the baffle extensions 29' in any desired position.

With the arrangement of parts above described it will be apparent that a novel device has been provided for continuously blanching and cleaning articles, such'as peas, without interruption or the entailment of much labor. Thev tortuous path through which the articles are directed in association with a fluid carrier effectively cleanses the articles and subsequent thereto the impurities are segregated therefrom. This insures the proper cleansing thereof prior to dis- 7 charge for conveyance to any desired destination for packing or canning as commercial practice may dictate in the premises.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for cleaning and washing vegetables comprising an elongated flat trough of relatively slight pitch terminating in a section of more pronounced pitch, a plurality of spaced apart baffles in said section of greater pitch, said baflies being substantially vertical and having angularly disposed ends extending in the direction of the flow of water through said section, discharge means for said trough creating a substantially constant water level in said baflle section, and a plurality of transversely arranged scrapers moving along the top of the water in said section to remove foreign matter intercepted by said bafiies.

2. Means for cleaning and Washing vegetables and the like comprising a flat trough of slight incline and of extended length, in combination with a water separating section, said section including an inclined wall of greater pitch than said trough, a discharge orifice comprising a constricted spout upwardly inclined and associated with said section to provide therein a fixed liquid level, a plurality of bafiies in said section and extending downwardly to restrict the rapid flow of liquid through said section to the part adjacent the bottom thereof, and a series of transversely arranged scrapers extending into the liquid in said section and movable lengthwise thereof to remove therefrom material floating upwardly between said baflles.

I MEAD S. CARMICHAEL. 

